Department for Transport

Railways: Concessions

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to encourage rail companies to allow Ukrainian refugees to travel free of charge on UK rail networks.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department for Transport is considering what can be offered to Ukrainian refugees by way of free rail travel, along with other Government initiatives.

Transport for London: Industrial Disputes

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost to (1) London's economy, and (2) the national economy, of the industrial action taken by train drivers during the week ending 4 March.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department is working closely with Transport for London (TfL) to ensure that London’s transport network is able to support the restart and economic recovery of the city. The Government’s commitment to supporting London’s transport network is ongoing, and we have provided close to £5 billion of support throughout the pandemic. However, transport in London is devolved and is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and TfL.

London Underground: Trains

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they (1) have had, or (2) intend to have, with the Mayor of London regarding contributions by the Government to fund the cost of introducing driverless trains in London.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government’s commitment to supporting London’s transport network is ongoing, and we have provided close to £5 billion of support throughout the pandemic. DfT officials are currently working with TfL to build an evidence-based recommendation on how to progress with driverless trains on the underground. This will inform any future decisions.

Global Navigation Satellite Systems

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 3 March (HL6222 and HL6223), which space-based augmentation systems they are investigating as an alternative toEuropean Geostationary Navigation Overlay Services (EGNOS).

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government is exploring the possibilities for alternatives to EGNOS, including investing in the initial research and development for a potential UK system. However, it is too early to determine the suitability of a specific solution as a long-term replacement for EGNOS.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Audit

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors' report,Cultivating a healthy culture, dated March 2022; and what steps, if any, they plan to take in response to the report and its findings.

Lord Callanan: The report rightly highlights the important role that internal audit can play in helping companies to promote a positive corporate culture. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) strengthened the UK Corporate Governance Code in 2018 to provide for company boards to assess and monitor culture, to ensure a link between culture, purpose, values and strategy, and to report on this annually. The FRC’s latest annual review of corporate governance reporting, published in November 2021, found some progress in how companies report on their culture. Additionally, the Government has set out proposals to give the FRC’s planned successor body – the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority – new powers to hold large companies to account for the quality and usefulness of their corporate reporting, including reporting on culture. These proposals were set out in the White Paper on ‘Restoring Trust in Audit and Corporate Governance’ in 2021. The Government will be responding to that consultation in due course.

District Heating

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to address the financial impact of rising energy prices on households with district heat systems that are not covered by the energy price cap; and what is their timetable for implementing those plans.

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of households that are supplied by district heating systems; what assessment they have made of the geographic distribution of those households; and what estimate they have made of the (1) number, and (2) proportion, of those households that experience fuel poverty.

Lord Callanan: The Experimental Statistics on Heat Networks published by the Government in 2018 showed that approximately 440,000 of all UK heat network customers are residential. The specific geographical distribution in terms of number of residential customers can be found in Figure 1 below.  Government Office RegionNumber of customersEast Midlands15,769East of England25,147London195,851North East16,418North West35,212South East39,107South West23,800West Midlands29,436Yorkshire and The Humber25,824England 406,566 Wales 7,680 Scotland 23,779 Northern Ireland 1,524 UK 439,549   The latest 2020 Fuel Poverty Statistics published shows that only 3% (i.e. 92,000) of all fuel poor households in England has central heating systems that use ‘other’ fuels, which consist of propane, bulk LPG and community heating or heat networks. Therefore, the proportion of fuel poor households served by district heating systems are likely to be much smaller than 3%. The Government’s Heat Network Consumer Survey published in 2017 estimated that the proportion of heat network customers living in more energy efficient buildings such as flats or social housing are significantly higher than the general England and Wales population. Given most flats or social housing tend to have energy efficiency ratings higher than EPC Band D, it therefore indicates heat network customers are much less likely to experience fuel poverty in comparison to the wider population. The Government is aware of the steep increases that some consumers on communal networks are facing. For this reason, the government is taking action worth more than £9.1bn supporting households through initiatives such as the Energy Bills Rebate, the Household Support Fund, Warm Home Discount, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments. These measures are intended to cover heat network consumers and the government is engaging closely with industry and consumer groups to understand the specific impacts in the heat network sector and continue to assess whether further options are needed to help households through this challenging period. I refer the noble Lord to the answers given by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth to the Hon. Member for Battersea on 28 February to Questions 125466 and 125467. We need to ensure heat network consumers receive a fair price for their heating and that is why we are committed to legislating within this parliament to regulate the heat networks sector and in December 2021 we announced that Ofgem will take on the role of regulator. We will be giving Ofgem new powers to regulate prices in this sector as a matter of priority. This will enable equivalent protection for domestic heat network customers as well as ensuring heat network operators are securing good purchasing deals for their consumers. This will mean that consumers are charged a fair rate for heating whilst encouraging investment in heat networks.

Company Accounts

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Henley on 5 March 2018 (HL5587) and to the article in The Times ‘Standards board ‘looks like a cabal’’, published on 7 February, what assessment they have made of whether legal advice obtained from Martin Moore QC for (1) the Financial Reporting Council, or (2) the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, has been (a) properly obtained, (b) independent, and (c) suitable for determining matters of public interest.

Lord Callanan: The organisations referred to in these questions - the UK Endorsement Board (UKEB), the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) – are responsible for procuring their own legal advice. The FRC which facilitates the UKEB is an arm’s length body which reports annually to the Department on how it has carried out responsibilities under its remit. The ICAEW is an independent organisation. The issue of whether to publish legal advice is for the respective organisations to consider.

UK Endorsement Board

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the documents referred to in the article in The Times ‘Standards board ‘looks like a cabal’’, published on 7 February.

Lord Callanan: The organisations referred to in these questions - the UK Endorsement Board (UKEB), the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) – are responsible for procuring their own legal advice. The FRC which facilitates the UKEB is an arm’s length body which reports annually to the Department on how it has carried out responsibilities under its remit. The ICAEW is an independent organisation. The issue of whether to publish legal advice is for the respective organisations to consider.

UK Endorsement Board

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the article in The Times ‘Standards board ‘looks like a cabal’’, published on 7 February, whether they plan to investigate the report that the UK Endorsement Board intended to use Martin Moore QC for legal advice “behind the scenes” despite an acknowledged conflict of interest which prevented him from being formally instructed.

Lord Callanan: The organisations referred to in these questions - the UK Endorsement Board (UKEB), the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) – are responsible for procuring their own legal advice. The FRC which facilitates the UKEB is an arm’s length body which reports annually to the Department on how it has carried out responsibilities under its remit. The ICAEW is an independent organisation. The issue of whether to publish legal advice is for the respective organisations to consider.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Belarus: Political Prisoners

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the human rights standards for the imprisonment of political prisoners in Belarus.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they had with countries at the United Nations regarding the human rights standards of political prisoners in Belarus.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: There are over 1000 political prisoners in Belarus. We remain deeply troubled about the intolerable prison conditions in which political detainees are held in Belarus and urge the authorities to release all political prisoners, immediately and unconditionally. This repression takes place in the context of Belarus' unacceptable support of Russia's illegal and unprovoked attack against Ukraine, which the UK strongly condemns and is taking action against.The UK has imposed over 100 sanctions in response to the fraudulent elections, human rights violations, and repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Belarus. The UK is pleased to have worked alongside Germany, Denmark and other partners to establish the International Accountability Platform for Belarus (IAPB) in 2021. We are also strong and vocal supporters of the UN's mandate on accountability in Belarus. We back the extension of this UN mandate, and are working to ensure collaboration between the IAPB and UN, strengthening shared efforts to hold the Lukashenko regime to account for its reprehensible actions.

Ukraine: Refugees

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they are giving to (1) Poland, and (2) other countries, who are receiving refugees from Ukraine.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Home Secretary announced on Tuesday 1 March phase 2 of our bespoke humanitarian support package for those affected by the crisis. Firstly, we are establishing an expansive Ukrainian Family Scheme so that British nationals and people settled in the UK can bring a wider group of family members to the UK, extending eligibility to parents, grandparents, adult offspring, siblings, and their immediate family members. Those joining family in the UK will be granted leave for an initial period of 12 months. They will be able to work and access public funds.Secondly, we will establish a humanitarian sponsorship pathway, which will open up a route to the UK for Ukrainians who may not have family ties with the UK but who are able to match with individuals, charities, businesses, and community groups. Family members of British nationals resident in Ukraine who need a UK visa can apply through the temporary location in Lviv, or through Visa Application Centres in Poland, Moldova, Romania, and Hungary.We have created additional capacity in all locations at pace, in anticipation of the invasion of Ukraine. This includes a pop-up Visa Application Centre in Rzeszow in Poland, which has provided total capacity currently of well over 3,000 appointments per week.

Ukraine: Refugees

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of theestimate by the government of the United States that five million people could be displaced bythe conflict in Ukraine; and what plans they have to support neighbouring countriesreceiving refugees from Ukraine.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As of 8 March, over 2 million people are reported by the UN to have left Ukraine. We are grateful to Ukraine's neighbouring countries for their support and their confirmation that their borders will remain open to all those fleeing the conflict. Sadly these numbers will continue to rise while Putin continues his reprehensible and needless attack. The best source of statistics on population displacement can be found at https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine.We have deployed UK humanitarian experts to support Ukraine's neighbours, who are receiving and supporting the increasing flow of refugees. The UK Government has pledged £395 million of aid, which includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance. Our humanitarian support will help partners stand up their response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation, creating a lifeline for Ukrainians with access to basic necessities.

Russia: Ukraine

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate an investigation by the International Criminal Court into war crimes committed by Russian armed forces in Ukraine.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Russia's use of indiscriminate force against innocent civilians, in its illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, must be investigated and those responsible must be held to account. That is why the UK led efforts to bring together allies on 2 March to expedite an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into Russian war crimes in Ukraine. With 37 countries joining the UK, it is the largest referral in the history of the ICC. As a founder member of the ICC, the UK is willing to provide the necessary technical assistance to support successful convictions.

Mikita Yemialyianau

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Belarus regardingMikita Yemialyianau, who is currently imprisoned in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the case of Mikita Yemialyianau. There are over 1000 political prisoners in Belarus. We remain deeply troubled about the intolerable prison conditions in which detainees are held in Belarus. We urge the authorities to release political prisoners, immediately and unconditionally, and have raised this both bilaterally and multilaterally. The UK has imposed over 100 sanctions in response to the fraudulent elections, human rights violations, and repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Belarus. This repression takes place amidst Belarus' unacceptable support of Russia's illegal and unprovoked attack against Ukraine, which the UK strongly condemns and is taking action against.

Russia: Ukraine

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey havebeen in contact with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to seek an investigation into potential war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine; and, if not, why not.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Russia's use of indiscriminate force against innocent civilians, in its illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, must be investigated and those responsible must be held to account. That is why the UK led efforts to bring together allies on 2 March to expedite an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into Russian war crimes in Ukraine. With 37 countries joining the UK, it is the largest referral in the history of the ICC. As a founder member of the ICC, the UK is willing to provide the necessary technical assistance to support successful convictions.

Russia: Ukraine

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Russian forces have attacked a nursery school and an orphanage in Ukraine; and what steps, if any, they are taking in response to the reported attacks.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Ukraine has suffered horrific attacks, missiles and air strikes which have torn through apartment blocks. Innocent people including children have lost their lives. Russia's actions are a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter, and show flagrant disregard for its commitments under the Budapest Memorandum and the Minsk Agreements.We have pledged £395 million of aid, which includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance, providing Ukrainians with access to basic necessities and vital medical supplies. The funding will help aid agencies respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation, creating a lifeline for Ukrainians with access to basic necessities. UK Government humanitarian experts have also deployed to the region to bolster the UK's support to countries receiving those fleeing the violence in Ukraine.

Russia: Sanctions

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a travel ban on President Putin and Sergey Lavrov.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have already imposed sanctions on Vladimir Putin and Sergey Lavrov to cut them off from the privilege of access to doing business with the UK. We are coordinating with our allies to ensure as strong a package as possible to create maximum impact - nothing is off the table.

Syria: Diplomatic Relations

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what diplomatic presence the UK has in Syria.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK closed the British Embassy in Damascus in 2012 and has no plans to re-open it. The UK's position is unchanged; the Assad regime has lost its legitimacy due to its atrocities against the Syrian people. We urge the regime to engage seriously in the political process established by UN Security Council Resolution 2254 to bring lasting and inclusive peace to Syria.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Gun Sports: Lead

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in support of voluntary efforts to phase out the use of lead shot by game hunters in England; and what plans they have, if any, to introduce arequirement to replace the use of lead shot with other materials which do not harm the countryside.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Nine high-profile shooting organisations released a joint statement in 2020 calling for an end to lead in ammunition used for taking live quarry with shotguns within five years. We welcomed this move away from lead and are committed to ensuring a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation. By 2020, the use of lead ammunition in England had already been restricted in specific circumstances by existing legislation– including being prohibited in or over sites of special scientific interest including wetlands. In spring 2021, Defra asked the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency (EA) to prepare a UK REACH restriction dossier for lead ammunition. The HSE and the EA are considering the evidence of risk posed by lead in ammunition on human health and the environment and, therefore, the case for introducing a UK REACH restriction on lead in ammunition. This process will take approximately two years (from spring 2021), after which the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers, will make a decision on the basis of this review. Further information can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/plans-announced-to-phase-out-lead-ammunition-in-bid-to-protect-wildlife

Fishing Catches

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps, if any, they are taking to publish an action plan with (1) timebound targets to minimise fish species bycatch, and (2) guidance on mitigation measures to avoid species bycatch; and whether resources will be made available to execute such an action plan.

Lord Benyon: The objectives in the Fisheries Act 2020 underline the UK's commitment to addressing the root cause of discarding. In particular, the bycatch objective looks to avoid or reduce the catching of fish that are below the minimum conservation reference size and other bycatch. The Government is committed to ending the wasteful practice of discards and to increasing the level of accountability for fishing activities at sea, while building the confidence we have in our seafood products. We are currently consulting on the Joint Fisheries Statement which sets out further detail about this and we will be considering this further in the development of fisheries management plans. In addition to this, the landing obligation forms part of retained EU law and continues to be in force in the UK. However, there are challenges to implementing this. That is why Defra is developing a domestic catching policy for England which is tailored to our marine environment and industry needs. We are engaging with industry and other stakeholders about this. We recognise that accidental bycatch in fisheries is one of the greatest threats faced by sensitive marine species such as dolphins and seabirds, and we remain fully committed to tackling this issue. Defra officials are working closely with the Devolved Administrations to finalise the UK Bycatch Mitigation Initiative (BMI). The BMI will identify policy objectives and potential actions to achieve part of the Fisheries Act’s ecosystem objective to minimise and, where possible, eliminate incidental catch of sensitive marine species. This initiative will set out a joint vision for bycatch across the UK. Each administration will be responsible for developing solutions that are tailored to local needs.

Home Office

Refugees: Afghanistan

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made regarding the implementation of the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme commenced on 6th January, providing up to 20,000 women, children and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK. The scheme will prioritise those who have assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for UK values such as democracy, women’s rights, freedom of speech and rule of law; and vulnerable people such as women and girls at risk, and members of minority groups (including ethnic / religious minorities and LGBT+). There are around 6,500 people in the UK who have already been brought to safety, during and after the evacuation, and who are eligible for the ACRS. They include women’s rights activists, journalists, and prosecutors, as well as Afghan families of British Nationals. The first Afghan families have already been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain under the scheme From Spring 2022, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will refer refugees to the scheme, based on assessments of protection need.

Road Traffic Offences: Cycling

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cyclists were (1) apprehended, and (2) fined, for going through red traffic lights in London for each of the last three years.

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cyclists were (1) apprehended, and (2) fined, for riding on pavements in London for each of the last three years.

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cyclists who knocked over pedestrians in London in each of the last three years were fined.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office collects and publishes data on Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) and other outcomes for motoring offences on an annual basis as part of the ‘Police Powers and Procedures’ statistical publication. However, information on the type of vehicle is not available. The most recent data for FPNs issued for motoring offences covers the years 2011-2020, are available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-powers-and-procedures-other-pace-powers-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-2021The Department for Transport publish statistics on road casualties, including accidents involving cyclists, these data can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-annual-report-2020

Refugees: Ukraine

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to co-ordinate the response of the four nations of theUK to ensure the most effective approach to supporting Ukrainian refugees.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Thousands more Ukrainians will be welcomed to the UK as the Government continues its support for Ukraine in their fight against the Russian invasion. The Home Secretary immediately introduced concessions to support Ukrainian nationals currently in the UK who are now unable to return when their existing visa expires. These concessions will assist Ukrainian nationals in extending their stay in the UK without having to leave and re-apply from overseas. The Government has established a Ukraine Family Scheme, which is fee free and allows British nationals, and people settled here, to bring extended family members to the UK. The Scheme covers immediate family members and a wider range of extended family including parents, grandparents, children over 18 cousins and siblings. Individuals will be granted leave for three years, giving them certainty and securing their future in the country. The Government is also launching a humanitarian sponsorship pathway, whereby Ukrainians who may not have family ties in the UK can be sponsored to come to the UK by willing and able individuals, businesses, or community organisations. There will be no numerical limit on this scheme, and we will welcome as many Ukrainians as wish to come and have matched sponsors. We will continue to work with our counterparts in the Devolved Administrations to ensure we deliver the best possible scheme across the whole of the UK for Ukrainians coming here. With regular engagement at Ministerial Level between the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations.

English Language: Education

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they haveto establish radio and television programmes teachingEnglish to refugees and asylum seekers; and what discussions they have had with the devolved administrations about coordinating any such plans.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government does not have plans to establish radio and television programmes specifically for teaching English to refugees and asylum seekers.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Buildings: Safety

The Earl of Lytton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have commissioned research on (1) significant fire safety defects, and (2) other significant structural defects, in residential buildings in England below 18 meters in height; and if so, whether they willpublish the findings.

Lord Greenhalgh: The department has carried out a 11 meters-18 meters data collection looking at fire safety defects in external wall systems. The findings will be published once the analysis has been completed.

Political Parties: Expenditure

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 10 March 2021 (HL13610),what representations they received from (1)the Local Government Association, (2) political groups, (3) the Parliamentary Parties Panel, and (4) other political parties, in 2020 on the issue of uprating spending limits at reserved polls; and in particular, which political parties expressed support for increasing such spending limits for national elections in line with inflation since 2000.

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the rate of inflation between 2000 to 2022; and what assessment they have made of the effect on national spending limits for a registered political party contesting every constituency in Great Britain of increasing the present limit by the rate of inflation.

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have madeof the number of political parties that would be able to raise and spend more than the present national limit on party expenditure in a general election, based on expenditure in general elections since 2000; and which parties that includes.

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase national party expenditure limits in general elections in line with the written statement made by Lord True on 3 December 2020 (HLWS610); and whether any such increase will take placebefore July 2023.

Lord Greenhalgh: Election spending limits are fixed in absolute terms. This requires them to be updated by inflation from time to time. The underlying primary legislation passed by Parliament explicitly provides for this.In 2020 government officials consulted with representatives of the Local Government Association, political groups, the Parliamentary Parties panel and other political parties on uprating spending limits at reserved polls. Naturally a range of views were received during these consultations, however, it is for these groups to make public their position on this matter, not the Government.As set out in the Written Ministerial Statements published on 3 December 2020 HCWS618; HLWS610 (attached) the Government intends to review both candidate and party spending limits, at reserved polls with a view to uprating them by inflation. We cannot, however, comment on any specific figures until the necessary review has concluded. Written Statement (pdf, 75.1KB)Written Statement (pdf, 74.1KB)

Elections: Proof of Identity

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what levels of documented scrutiny, including photo ID, is expected to apply in future for voters at a polling station; what assessment they have made as to how far this documentation may be more easily available for (1) older voters, (2) younger voters, and (3) people who move their address most frequently; and how this scrutiny will compare to that applied to UK citizens applying to register as overseas voters who are not recorded on previous electoral rolls.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Elections Bill will bring in the requirement to show a photographic identity document when voting in polling stations. The Government has carried out research on the levels of ownership of relevant forms of identification amongst various demographics including age. This research is available here (attached) - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/voter-identification-photographic-id-ownership-in-great-britain>Following the extension of the overseas electors franchise, the identity of all applicants will (as now) need to be verified as will their connection to an address in the UK before they can be added to the electoral register. Further detail can be found in the Government’s policy statement, “Overseas electors: Delivering ‘votes for life’ for British expatriates”https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-electors-delivering-votes-for-life-for-british-expatriates/overseas-electors-delivering-votes-for-life-for-british-expatriates>   Photographic ID ownership (xlsx, 768.7KB)Overseas electors (pdf, 218.4KB)

Political Parties: Finance

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to bring into force the un-commenced provisions of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009, regarding donations from non-resident donors.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government has no plans to bring into force the uncommenced provisions of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 regarding donations from non-resident donors.As set out in a related answer to a question from Jon Trickett MP (268970) (attached), it is the view of the Government that this provision is not workable given that an individual’s tax status is subject to confidentiality between them and HMRC.Further, taxation is not connected to enfranchisement in the UK and if a British citizen is able to vote in an election for a political party, they should also be able to donate to that political party, subject to the requirements for transparency on donations.Registered overseas electors are eligible to make political donations and it is only right that they should be able to donate in the same way as other UK citizens registered on the electoral roll.Question from Jon Trickett MP (pdf, 73.8KB)

Absent Voting: British Nationals Abroad

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to facilitatemore rapid (1) distribution, and (2) return, of postal votes to UK citizens overseas who are registered voters in general elections.

Lord Greenhalgh: Returning Officers are responsible for the issue of postal votes at elections. The Electoral Commission guidance advises Returning Officers that they should prioritise postal votes that are to be sent overseas in order to maximise the time that postal voters have to receive, complete and return their postal vote.The Government has recently taken steps to enhance the postal vote system for UK citizens living overseas. At the 2019 General Election, the Government funded a scheme to expedite the issue of postal vote ballot papers to overseas electors via Heathrow Airport. The Government has also funded the use of the International Business Response Licence which expedites the return of ballot packs from overseas, as well as covering any postage costs that might otherwise be incurred.The Elections Bill includes measures that will make it easier for overseas electors to participate by enabling them to remain registered for longer with an absent vote arrangement in place. The registration period for overseas electors will be extended from one year to up to three years, and electors will be able to reapply or refresh, as appropriate, their absent vote arrangements at the same time as renewing their registration. The Bill also provides for an online absent vote application service to be introduced that will enable electors, including overseas electors, to apply for a postal vote online.

Cabinet Office

Homicide: Young People

Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord True on 4 February (HL5661),what is the latest available data on youth deaths by stabbing in (1) London, (2) Birmingham, (3) Coventry, (4) Liverpool, (5) Manchester, and (6) Newcastle, for the year ending March 2021.

Lord True: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond.Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National StatisticianThe Rt Hon. the Lord Field of Birkenhead CH DLHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW02 March 2022Dear Lord Field,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking for the latest available data on number of youth deaths by stabbing in London, Birmingham, Coventry, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle for the year ending March 2021 (HL6441).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes homicide figures where the method of killing was by a knife or sharp instrument sourced from the Home Office Homicide Index, which is a database separate from the main police recorded crime dataset. It contains detailed record-level information about each homicide recorded by the police in England and Wales. It is continually updated with revised information from the police and courts and, as such, is a richer source of data than the main police recorded crime dataset.We do not hold data on homicide by knife or sharp instrument by age below the national level. However, we have provided the estimates for England and Wales for the year ending March 2021 in Table 1. This data was published alongside Homicide in England and Wales, year ending March 2021[1].Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Offences[2] currently recorded as homicide by a sharp instrument, by age[3], year ending March 2021Number of victimsApr 2020 to Mar 2021Total235Under 16816-171018-2454Source: Home Office - Homicide Index 1) https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/homicideinenglan dandwales/yearendingmarch20212) As at 10 December 2021; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available.3) The age categories that have been used in this table are supplied by the Home Office.UKSA response (pdf, 116.3KB)

Intelligence Services: Finance

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to increase resources for the UK's intelligence services.

Lord True: As part of the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, it was announced that the Single Intelligence Account (SIA) would have a £0.7 billion cash increase over the Parliament to £3.7 billion in 2024-25, net of transfers. This provides a real-terms growth rate of 4.0% per year on average over the same period. This supports the delivery of the priorities set out in the Integrated Review and will ensure that the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) can continue to retain their world-leading capabilities to counter national security threats to the UK.

Government Departments: Bullying and Harassment

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cases of (1) bullying, (2) harassment, and (3) discrimination, in Government departments were reported in each of the last three years; and how many of these cases warranted action being taken.

Lord True: The Cabinet Office does not centrally hold information on cases of bullying, harassment and discrimination across government. The Civil Service has a zero tolerance approach to bullying, harassment and discrimination. It is important that all employees feel respected and treated fairly within the workplace. Those found to be bullying, and/or harassing and/or discriminating against employees or customers can face disciplinary procedures including charges of gross misconduct leading to dismissal.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Social Media: Belarus and Russia

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage social media platforms tosuspend the accounts of the political leaders from (1) Russia, and (2) Belarus.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Government has been working closely with the major social media platforms to monitor and share information as the situation in Ukraine develops. We have made clear the seriousness of the current situation and the importance of cooperating speedily in countering these threats. This includes the social media platforms swiftly removing disinformation and coordinated inauthentic or manipulated behaviour which is against their terms of service and promoting authoritative content.We welcome the decisions of major platforms, including Meta, Twitter and YouTube, to restrict posts, accounts and/or advertisements run by Russian state media. As the Secretary of State set out in her statement to Parliament on 3 March, we will continue to work with these platforms to counter Russia’s aggression and support the people fighting for their survival in Ukraine.More widely, the cross-Whitehall Counter Disinformation Unit brings together monitoring and analysis capabilities from across Government to understand the scope, scale, and nature of disinformation and misinformation and to work with partners to tackle it. We regularly engage with social media platforms to flag content that we consider to be particularly harmful. Where this content breaches their own terms and conditions, we expect platforms to remove it promptly.

Companies: Surveillance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to regulate companies' use of technological systems to monitor people.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Organisations that process personal data for the purposes of monitoring their activities or surveillance must comply with the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. This means that the data processing must be fair, lawful and transparent. Any adverse impact of monitoring on individuals must be necessary, proportionate and justified by the benefits to the organisation and others. A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) would usually be required, particularly where the processing involves the use of new technologies, or the novel application of existing technologies.Where people’s biometric data are processed, such as through fingerprint, voice or facial recognition technology, companies would generally need to conduct a DPIA. Companies conducting live facial recognition would generally need to show that processing was necessary for one of a limited number of specified reasons of substantial public interest - for instance, preventing or detecting unlawful acts. They would also need to show that specific conditions and safeguards were met.The Information Commissioner’s Office is the UK’s independent regulator for data protection and has published extensive guidance to help organisations comply with their data protection obligations. This includes guidance for employers on the rules in relation to monitoring of employees, as well as guidance on monitoring employees in connection with Covid-19 related measures.The Information Commissioner has also published an opinion on the non-law enforcement use of live facial recognition technology in public spaces which explain the requirements of the legislation and stress that data protection and people’s privacy must be at the heart of any decisions to deploy live facial recognition technology in public spaces.

Musicians: EU Countries

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce measures to assist young musicians wishing to tour in the EU; and whether any such plans will be introduced before the end of July.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Government recognises that there are new requirements for creative workers to work and tour in the EU, including for young musicians. The Government has sought to clarify these new arrangements, which are in many cases more workable than has at times been reported. For example, the vast majority of EU Member States have confirmed that they offer visa and work permit-free routes for touring professionals, including most recently Bulgaria and Croatia. Portable musical instruments, carried or in a vehicle, can be transported cost-free and should not require ATA Carnets. We have also confirmed that splitter vans are not subject to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement requirements on haulage, which is particularly important for emerging artists.The Government supports our young and emerging artists across the UK through a range of export support programmes, including the Music Export Growth Scheme and the International Showcase Fund, which help musicians to break into international markets. The Government has also established a new Export Support Service from which UK artists can get answers to practical questions about working in Europe.